Kettlebell Workout: Cardio and muscle combined

About two years ago, I was feeling somewhat fed up and bored with my usual workout routines. So on one hot summer day in August of 2010, I decided to jump into a kettlebell class being offered at 121 Fitness Center. After one class, I was instantly hooked...and my legs were numb. If you're up for an intense, heart-pounding, leg-and-arm-burning exercise, then read on.

A kettlebell is an iron ball with a handle that weighs between 15 and 100 pounds. For these exercises you are holding the kettlebell in one or both hands and completing a variety of swings, presses, or pulling motions. Some movements have you changing the weight from hand to hand as the weight swings up or as you move laterally, requiring you to stabilize the body and engage the core in a whole new way. Other moves require power from the legs and hips to move the weight, giving you integrated whole body movements that are often missing with other types of training. - exercises.about.com

Sounds a bit more challenging than the usual weight lifting, right? One of the great benefits of kettlebell training is the cardio and muscle workout combination for a full 60 minutes. What a great change from the usual 30 minute elliptical and 30 minutes of bench presses.

Take a look at the video below to see examples of a kettlbell workout.

Video provided by Silverton Movement Center